Kathakali
by Askani Blue
Summary: Watched from outside as a rumor brings pain


This was done for a challenge for the Tsukimineshrine. Again we can all thank Tam for this one. *smirk* This has shounen ai, so if you have issues with that you've been warned so you and your sexual idenity problems can go and bother someone else. Besides, if you don't like that stuff, why are you reading Clamp anyway?  
  
  
  
  


Kathakali

  
  
  
The puddles leapt up in anger and threw themselves against her ankles and calves as her feet slammed down into them. Her socks and shoes carried with them the remaining forces of the assaulted puddles, those too vehement to let go and fall back to the wet ground; the sound of the shifting water within them was drowned out by the din of droplets striking the pink umbrella above her and the panting sound of her own breath.   
  
Rumors, as legend has it, can travel faster than anything as yet created by man. Inexplicably, it appears to move faster than sound and refuses to follow no laws other than the fallibility of man and by nature the rumors themselves. Fallibility was the factor that she was laying her hopes on this evening.   
  
The giggling girls had relayed the outlandish claim with frightening speed: Kinomoto Touya, the un-catchable, had been caught. She had been amused at first as they all tried to guess the name of the mystery person, happy that it had finally happened, but her fun had been crushed when she'd discovered the name wasn't Yuki's and had instead been that of a girl that worked at a restaurant Touya did.  
  
The rain pounded down on her as she raced to her home and hopefully to answers as well.  
  


***

  
Rushing up the stairs to her home, she was about to charge through the doorway when she saw Yuki through the window, speaking to someone in the kitchen as he headed that direction. Seeing her plan to reach home before Yuki had been a failure, she darted under the living room window and around to the backyard, where she could get a good view through the window into the kitchen. Quietly she took a spot under a tree and clutched her umbrella tightly as she watched the two occupants of the house.   
  
Touya was at the table, setting down a stack of plates before heading back to the stove. They seemed as normal as ever, clearly talking about something casually. While he stirred a steaming pot, Touya motioned lazily with his free hand as they ambled through their conversation and Yuki began to set out the plates.   
  
She sighed, only now properly catching her breath back. Everything seemed perfectly fine; Yuki hadn't heard the rumors and everything would be all right. Working out how she was going to drill her brother on the matter, she started towards the house but stopped as Yuki looked up from his work to watch Touya.  
  
Her brother continued with whatever was he was talking about, unaware as Yuki's hands stilled. The happy smile was gone and he watched his friend with an expression that made the little girl wipe away a few tears. He didn't seem far from that himself but as Touya suddenly turned back to say something, Yuki snapped back to his task, staring pointedly at the plates and utensils he laid out, nodding quickly.  
  
The smile, though not as strong, was back and he started to talk quickly as he set the table.   
  
Touya nodded slowly to him, clearly concerned at the hurt he'd seen in his friend, and stepped over to him. Ducking his head down, again his mouth moved with unheard words as the rain picked up, sending new waves of water down on her.  
  
Yuki jumped and backed away, shaking his head quickly with a laugh, waving Touya's worries off with a hand as he reached out to straighten an already straight plate.  
  
The smaller boy jumped again as Touya caught his arm, again asking a question that the angry rain spirits stole for their own, or simply kept from her ears as a fun trick. Yuki shook his head harder, the casual expression gone completely as he tried to hide his face. This upset Touya more and he grabbed Yuki's other arm, trying to get him to look at him.  
  
For a moment Yuki went limp, uninterested in fighting the touch, simple as it was, but then he started shaking his head again and wrenched himself free to shout at his friend loud enough for Sakura to hear had the thunder not rumbled loudly from somewhere too close for comfort: a bright flash filling the sky behind her.   
  
Touya let go, shocked and shook his own head, confusion painting his face as intensely as the anger and hurt did that of his friend. The scene played out like some old Indian play, silent and intense: their faces taking the semblance of the over done masks and the rain providing the percussion accompaniment.   
  
Again, Yuki shouted as Touya reached towards him, slapping away the hand as the thunder clapped once more; Touya drawing back with the rolling echo. Tears streaking his face, Yuki pursued this time, still shouting at his bewildered but apologetic friend and betrayer. The wind joined the play to bring a high drone in as Yuki brought his fists against Touya's chest, punctuated with a sudden burst of lightning, before Touya caught his wrists. Touya tried again to reason with him, question him, or maybe just explain to him; either way, Yuki crumpled and dropped to his knees as the thunder rolled again in echoing waves and his body shook with broken hearted sobs.  
  
Touya, kneeling with him, drew him close and rested his head on his, stoking his back as he continued to speak, though it looked to be considerably quieter, his lips barely moving. As the thunder grew more distant and the rain fell tirelessly, Yuki's shudders grew less but he shook his head and pulled it back from Touya's chest to meet his eyes again.   
  
Yuki's cheeks were flushed with the spent anger and still bore the sheen of fresh tears that continued to fall from red-rimmed eyes. The trembling mouth opened and closed a few times before he said more words that the rain stole but she waited with still breath and white knuckles as Touya looked down at him, blinking a moment.   
  
Touya's mouth remaining closed too long and Yuki shook his head and wiped at his eyes, pulling back from his larger friend as he continued quickly.   
  
Touya took on the expression of someone lost again, and reached out for him, talking over him and trying to be heard. When Yuki argued more, not wanting his touch, Touya began to raise his voice again and yanked him back to face him.   
  
Obviously he'd said something that Yuki hadn't expected and now it was his turn to take on the mask of confusion. Touya continued quickly, gesturing with a free hand while the other held its grip on Yuki and even as Yuki tried to interject Touya continued before he paused finally, with softening eyes at the creature still kneeling with him. Gently he reached up to brush away the still clinging tears as she watched his mouth continue, though he seemed to be whispering.   
  
Despite the fact that she'd not even heard the shouting, she leaned in unconsciously, barely daring to breathe as his hand stilled to cup the side of his face lightly.  
  
She saw Yuki's mouth open to say something, looking the perfect image of a frightened rabbit, but before he could, Touya dipped his head down to catch the pale lips with his own.   
  
Yuki's eyes widened for a moment and then slid closed as Touya wrapped his arms around him, drawing him closer, up onto his knees to better line up with Touya's body. Tentatively, Yuki's arms rose to encircle Touya's neck and as he did, Touya's hand ran down his back to cup under him and draw him up onto his lap, Yuki's legs wrapping around Touya's waist.   
  
Bound up with each other, they continued their kiss and hands traveled to trace the contours of their bodies, memorizing the feel and taste of each other.   
  
She watched for a bit more, wiping away her own tears and barely able to keep herself from running in and ruining their moment to hug them. With a broad smile and barely suppressed laughter, she ran back out from under the tree and headed back to the street for Tomoyo's house. She doubted that anyone would argue if she spent the night at her place, since she often did anyway when her dad was out of town, she reasoned happily as the rain slowed to a comfortable shower.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
